Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Joy and Testimony
From the first verses of Genesis to the last words of Revelation, we have explored the many ways our God delights in surprising us with joy; and we have seen that God is always with us healing, rescuing, restoring and transforming. Through narratives, chronicles, prophecies, poems, songs and psalms, God finds a way to bring joy into the darkest moments of our lives. We have visited a list of calamities, catastrophes, outrages and scourges to find that even in the face of so much evil there is the promise of joy in living in Christ. No matter the turmoil, deceit, conspiracy, suspicion, tears or desperation, the Spirit is present to sustain us. Through misery and intrigue, arrogance and folly we have found a reason to celebrate. Today, the apostles who know Jesus most intimately describe their incomparable joy in knowing the risen Christ and they share this joy with us. How might we share our own stories of God’s surprising joy with those who look for peace?
2 John 1:12: Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.
1 Peter 1:8: Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.
Galatians 5:22: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
James 1:2: Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.
Jude 1: 24-25: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
If this week’s Noontimes call you to search for more ways to encounter Joy or urges you to investigate the New Testament, click on the word Joy in the categories cloud in the blog’s right hand sidebar and choose a reflection, or enter those words in the blog search bar.
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